Index device.



J. H. HAND.

INDEX DEVICE.

APPLICATION man JULY la, 1916.

Patented May 29, 1917.

AAMS U01-1N ANA JAMES H. RAND, OJE NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK.

` NDEX DEVICE.

p Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, i917.

Application tiled July 18, 1916. Serial l'o. 109,975.

To all lwhom t may concerti:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. RAND, a citizen of the United States, andresident of North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Index Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indexes, and particularly to indexes of theso-called visible index type in which a series of spaced cardsY aresupported in a frame with the free edges of the cards projecting onebeyond another.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate certain embodiments of theinvention,-

Figure l is a face view, of part of an index containing the invention,certain parts being broken away; F ig. 2 is a face view of one of thecards with its supporting bar and sheath;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on an enlarged scale of the partsshown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a face View showing a modification;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on an enlarged'scale of the partsshown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a face view of a modification.

A represents the frame having inwardly turned flanges a at its oppositeedges forming inwardly facing guide channels. This frame may be of theusual construction.

A series of card supporting bars t are mounted in the frame with theirends held in the guide channels. Said bars are preferably made ofbristol board, leather board, or similar stiii" resilient material ofuniform thickness and smooth surface so that they will slide freelywithin the guide channels of the frame. The cards, c, which may be ofany suitable sheet material, such as cardboard or paper, whethercomparatively thick or thin, may be attached to the supporting bars inany suitable way, as by means of a hinge of textile fabric d, cementedto the back of the bar and the back of the upper margin ofthe card.

A protective sheath of transparent resilient material such as sheetcelluloidis mounted on each supporting har b, and extends substantiallythe length of the bar between the guide flanges a: of the frame,terminating short of the guide lianges so as not to extend into theguide channels. This insures the free sliding of the bars b Within theguide channels, which would be interfered with if the sheaths extendedinto the guide channels, since any inequality in the thickness of thesheaths or any tendency of the lips of the sheaths to spring open mighttend to bind the ends of the card supports in the channels and interferewith their free movement lengthwise thereof.

Each sheath has a closed front face e and inturned retaining lips e andc2 embracing opposite edges of the bar b. The upper or outer lip e2 ispreferably folded again in wardly to form a rear face c3 behind the barb andthe fabric hinge d. The sheath may be removably secured to thesupporting bar b or it may, be permanently fixed thereto, as bycementing the rear face e3 to the back of the bar. lt is preferablymounted on the bar, however, without cementing so that the bar and cardmay be readily removed therefrom and replaced by another bar and cardwhen t-he latter is used up.

The index characters may be inscribed directly on the bar b, or, ifpreferred, a removable indicator strip f may be inserted in the slidewayformed between the front face of the bar and the front face of thesheath. As the sheath terminates short of the guide channels, saidslideway has its entrance e4 outside ofthe guide channels so that theindicator strip j", which is shown partly withdrawn in Fig. Ll, may beinserted into and removed from the slideway without removing the barfrom the index frame. With this construction it is possible to use thecard c and bar b merely as a holder for an insert or record slip, whichmay be held in a fold or pocket g at-the free edge of the card, insteadof writing the subjectmatter of the index directly on the card and bar.The insert and the index strip ,f may be removed and replaced as oftenas desired, while the card c and bar 2') may be used over and overagain.

lin the modification shown inFig. 6, the bar b isomitted, and the endsof the sheath e itself are intended to be inserted in the guide channelsa of the frame, the position of which is indicated by dotted lines. The

sheath has a closed front face and inturned lips forming a slideway toreceive and hold a removable indicator strip. An entrance opening e5 isformed in the front of the sheath at a point somewhat removed from theend of the sheath and outside of the guide channels a so that anindicator strip f may be inserted or removed from the ill@ sheathwithout removing the latter from the frame. The strip f may be short, asshown, to serve for data which are frequently changing, While data ofmore permanent character maybe placed on another strip f2; or the stripf could extend the whole length of the sheath. rllhis modiicationsecuresv the advantage of an entrance opening for the indicator stripclear of the guide channels of the frame, as in the other forms, butdoes not insure the freedom of movement lengthwise of the guide channelswhich is secured by the bars I I Claim:`

l. An index comprising a frame having inwrrdly facing guide channels, aseries of card supporting bars having their ends held Within the guidechannels and slidable lengthwise thereof, cards supported in the framebysaid bars, and a sheath of transparent resilient material on eachsupporting bar terminating short of the guide channels. y

2. An index comprising a frame having inwardly facing guide channels, aseries ofcard supporting bars having their ends held Within the guidechannels and slidable lengthwise thereof, cards supported in the frameby said bars, a sheath of transparent resilient material on eachsupporting bar having a closed front face forming a slideway in front ofthe bar and terminating short of the guide channels, whereby theentrance to the slideway is outside of the guide channels, and aremovable indicator strip in said slideivay.`

3. An index comprising a frame having inwardly facing guide channels, aseries of card supporting bars having their ends held within the guidechannels and slidable lengthwise thereof, cards supported in the frameby said bars, and a sheath of transparent resilient material on eachsupporting bar having a closed front face and inturned retaining lipsembracing the opposite edges of the bar, said sheath terminating shortof the guide channels.

et. An index comprising a frame having inwardly facing guide channels, aseries of card supporting bars. having their ends held within the guidechannels and slidable lengthwise thereof, cards supported in the frameby said bars, a sheath of transparent resilient material on eachsupporting bar having a closed front face and inturned retaining lipsembracing the opposite edges of the bar, said sheath terminating shortof the guide channels and said closed front face forming a slidewaybetween it and the bar Whose entrance is outside of the guide channels,and a removable indicator strip in said slideway.

5. An index comprising a. frame having inwardly facing guide channels,4and a Series of sheaths of transparent resilient material supported insaid frame between the guide channels, each sheath constituting aslideivay adapted to receive and hold a removable indicator strip andhaving an entrance opening for such indicator strip located outside ofthe guide channels, whereby a strip may be inserted or removed Withoutremoving-the sheath from the frame.

Signed by me at Boston, lvlassachusetts, this 5th day of July, 1916.

JAMES H. RAND.

